Georgia Council on Substance Abuse:
Jessica Hulsey Nickel Appointment to the National Institute on
Drug Abuse’s National Advisory Council on Drug Abuse:
Extremely Disappointing and of Grave Concern
Put Recovery Voices First
For Immediate Release
15 October, 2019
Recovery advocates have fought long and hard to be in the conversation about
important issues affecting our community. For the last 20 years, recovery advocates
have mobilized a constituency of people in recovery, our families and other allies who
are vocal and effective in bringing the recovery voice to the local, statewide and national
levels.
The appointment of Jessica Hulsey Nickel to the National Institute on Drug Abuse’s
National Advisory Council on Drug Abuse is extremely disappointing and of grave
concern to the Recovery Community. It is inappropriate for a pharmaceutical lobbyist to
have the honor and privilege of serving on such an important entity and, more
importantly, her appointment sends a message of contempt and disrespect to the
Recovery Community given the role that pharmaceutical companies have played in the
current opioid crisis. Their actions killed people and caused immeasurable harm to
loved ones and family members of people struggling with substance use disorders.
As long as Jessica Hulsey Nickel serves on the NIDA’s National Advisory Council on
Drug Abuse it is impossible for the Recovery Community to view the work of the
National Institute on Drug Abuse as having our best interests in mind and it leads us to
question the integrity of the agency’s work going forward.
This is not about Jessica Hulsey Nickel the person. This is about Jessica Hulsey Nickel
the lobbyist associated with the pharmaceutical industry. The fact is, her appointment
presents the appearance of impropriety and hurts the Recovery Community. This is,
simply, not the appropriate time nor is this the appropriate place, for Jessica Hulsey
Nickel to serve in this capacity. The Georgia Council on Substance Abuse urges
Jessica Hulsey Nickel to voluntarily resign from the National Institute on Drug Abuse’s
National Advisory Council on Drug Abuse and for a person in Recovery with zero ties to
the pharmaceutical industry to be appointed.
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For additional Information: Jeff Breedlove 404-615-5735 / jeff@gc4recovery.org
